United States

WASHINGTON (AP) — After refusing to convene the U.S. House during the government shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson is recalling lawmakers back into session. They are set to consider the bill to reopen the federal government on Wednesday. As hundreds of lawmakers return they are bringing pent-up legislative demands after nearly two months away. There are calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein files and swear-in Arizona’s Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won her special election back in September. It’s all a test of the speaker’s leadership and shows the ways he has amassed power alongside President Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is poised to take the first steps toward ending the 40-day government shutdown Sunday after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of healthcare subsidies, angering many in their caucus who want to continue the fight. The agreement from Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan and Sen. Angus King of Maine would pass three annual spending bills and extend the rest of government funding until late January. That’s according to three people familiar with the agreement who requested anonymity until the deal is made public. Senate Democrats were meeting Sunday evening to discuss the proposal. The government shutdown has now lasted 40 days.

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November. The ruling Thursday was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit. The Trump administration said last month that it would not pay benefits at all for November because of the federal shutdown. Last week, two judges ordered the government to pay at least partial benefits using an emergency fund.

President Donald Trump’s administration says it will partially fund the SNAP food aid program after a pair of judges’ rulings required the payments to continue. That means grocery aid will resume for 1 in 8 Americans, though it has been delayed for millions already and the amount beneficiaries receive will be reduced. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would not continue the funding in November due to the government shutdown. Two federal judges ruled last week that the government was required to keep the program running. But both gave the administration leeway to pay for it entirely or partially. It can normally take up two two weeks to load beneficiaries’ debit cards.

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking. Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs since returning to the White House for a second term combined with China’s retaliatory limits on exports of rare earth elements gave the meeting newfound urgency. Trump told reporters he decided to reduce the current rate from 57% after the talks. Xi said Washington and Beijing would work to finalize their agreements to provide “peace of mind” to both countries and the rest of the world, according to a report on the meeting carried by Chinese state media.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will not go out Nov. 1 as the government shutdown drags on. The cutoff would expand the impact of the impasse to some of the Americans most in need unless a resolution is found in just a few days. The notice comes after the Trump administration said it will not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep the benefits flowing into November. The Trump administration blames Democrats, who say they won’t agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Large crowds of protesters have gathered in cities across the United for “No Kings” demonstrations against what they see a drift into authoritarianism under President Donald Trump. People carrying signs with slogans such as “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting” or “Resist Fascism” packed into New York City’s Times Square on Saturday. They rallied by the thousands in parks in Boston, Atlanta and Chicago. There were also demonstrations outside capitols in several Republican-led states and hundreds of smaller public spaces. Republicans disparaged the demonstrations as “Hate America” rallies, but in many places the events looked more like a street party.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is making plans for a significant aid package for U.S. soybean farmers. The move aims to help them survive China’s boycott of American beans, which was sparked by Trump’s trade war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says substantial support for farmers is expected to be announced Tuesday. The aid comes amid a tariff war between the U.S. and China, where China has stopped buying U.S. soybeans. Trump plans to discuss soybeans with Chinese President Xi Jinping in four weeks. Farmers are struggling as China orders soybeans from Brazil and Argentina. They prefer trade over aid, hoping for a deal soon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday. The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” The action comes as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands.

President Donald Trump has floated the idea of “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which manages federal disaster response. But at a Thursday meeting, the 12-person review council he appointed to propose changes to FEMA seemed more focused on reforms than total dismantlement. The meeting in Oklahoma City offered hints of what types of reforms the council might present to Trump in its final report. Members mainly focused on conventional and oft-cited opportunities for change, such as getting money faster to states and survivors and enhancing the capacity of local emergency managers.